Mutterings of a Mad Woman

Ever wonder what it would take to make some of your friends queasy? Have I got a dish for you.

On imakeprojects.com you'll find not one, but two versions of this recipe (one with regular bacon, one with prosciuttoto) for Roasted Fleshworms.

Basically, pork tenderloin is wrapped with prosciutto and roasted. Dried spaghetti is broken into pieces for teeth. A slit is cut in the stomach area and chili is used for the...uh...guts.

One version is pretty straight forward while the second has you freezing the meat before you cook it. I understand his logic but question his process (there's got to be better ways to solve his dilemma. Read his post and you'll understand what I'm talking about).

I've been asked a few times in the past if I have any tips on creating props using paper mache. I decided it was time to create a tutorial. In fact, I will be adding a collection of tutorials to the 'Horrific How To's' section in the next few weeks.

If you're interested in learning about a basic approach to paper mache, making simple mache casts of objects, and getting some advice from someone who has worked with this medium for a few years, I invite you to read Paper Mache - The Ghoul Friday Way.

I will announce any new tutorials as they are created. Hope you enjoy it!

Naoto Hattori is originally from Japan but has lived, studied and worked in New York for several years now. He went from graffiti tagging under bridges to creating company ads.

Hattori often gets hired for CD cover designs which suits him fine since he's a music fan and feels at home in the scene. You can also catch a glimpse of his art (perhaps only a fleeting glimpse) on snowboards and skateboards (keeping close to his graffiti-roots?).

What I like about him as an artist is that one picture can be soft, welcoming, almost disarming despite the gruesome undertones. The next can be completely in your face, pushing you back in your chair.

Hattori paints whatever fancies him; whatever pops into his head. You might say it reveals a darker side to him, but the man makes a good point about the public and his art:

Someone was talking about Grandin Road on a forum. Being Canadian, I'd never heard of the store. My first impression is Martha Stewart meets Pottery Barn with a hint of (overpriced) IKEA. They have some nice items for Halloween but it's way above my price point ($40 for a wreath. $100 for a lamp).

However...

If I were to create a Christmas wish list, I might have to put this little item near the top. Yes, it's borderline hideous but it reminds me of A Christmas Story ("the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window"); the beloved major award with a Halloween twist.

I especially like the skull at the very top.

Someone needs to tell my beloved Yetch that I've been eyeing this. And reassure him I'd put it in my office.

For any freakish foodies out there, I am the bearer of bad news: your one legal chance to taste - or at least experience the taste of - human flesh has come and gone. The dark window of opportunity was briefly open between May 2005 and June 2006, and we missed it.

Mind you, if the idea of tofu turns you off even more than human flesh, you didn't miss anything.

The product was called Hufu (human tofu). It was the "healthy human flesh alternative", made to mimic the texture and taste (secret ingredient: teriyaki sauce) of human flesh and targeted at - get this - anthropology students studying cannibalism.

While lurking on Facebook, I came across one group's topic that asked the question "Is Halloween Dying Out?". Posters were quick to confirm this, citing sexual predators and political correctness (for example, kids no longer dressing up at their schools) as key causes. In my opinion, they missed the mark somewhat.

Halloween is not dying out, just evolving. Though there are rampant reports of a steady decline in trick or treaters, more and more people are throwing Halloween parties (for themselves as adults but especially for their kids). Instead of going door to door, the children meet up at one house to celebrate the holiday together. There is also an increase in community events that families attend. One stop trick or treating, so to speak. No fuss, no muss.

Imagine London, 1599. Interior scene: Globe Playhouse. While Shakespeare is trying to launch his play, he's suffering from a few distractions including a plague that is turning his fellow Elizabethans into the walking dead.

The first prop of the year, and it isn't even for me. I'd started making it for a friend last winter, and the poor little thing has been sitting in my office unpainted ever since. I finally took the time to finish it this afternoon.

Basically, it's styrofoam balls stuck on wire and attached to a stick. I then dip toilet paper in a glue/water mix and cover the wire with it (creating leaves and eyelids). Wait for it to dry completely. Then start layering different shades and colours of paint.

If you're in the mood for vintage Halloween, there's some fun items on display over at Spookshows.com. The first terrifying toy that caught my eye was Uncle Fester's Mystery Light Bulb ( 1967). The bulb actually lights up in your hand (or your mouth in classic Fester fashion) when the metal lamp base comes into contact with a special ring included in the box (or aluminum foil). Adding an element of danger to this toy is the fact that the bulb base was not reverse threaded which apparently is good if you want to start a fire or give yourself a nice little jolt.

Hailing from California, Alex Pardee is today's artist pick. He is a freelance illustrator and an apparel designer.

His bio, posted on his MySpace Page (and no, I don't link to MySpace Pages because they are just so wrong, but you can access it through his nicely designed, non-abomination-of-code website http://www.eyesuckink.com/), states:

"Final pieces are often brought to life by translating random shapes and colors into signs of torment and absurdity. By juxtaposing these two conflicting moods, Alex makes his works more personal to his viewers, forcing them to project their own feelings and emotions onto each character in his twisted universe. After months of hospitalization and many futile attempts at seeking out professional help, Alex finally overcame his battle with severe depression and anxiety through his own form of therapy: art.